Hey it's me, Riku! I am doing a AN again! Hika is distracted again so I must handle all of this. I am never very good at these notes, but anyways enjoy!

Chapter 25

The rest of the way home was in silence. Neither brother said a word to another as they kept along the pathway until they got to the area where they turned off. As they walked, Riku kept glancing to the little otter that still was tucked gently on Saru's arms. He knew Saru had done the right thing, but he still wasn't too sure how Zack was going to react to it. He knew he had to question more on it, but not until they were back at the house.

When they did get back to the house, Riku went first to open the door and held it open for Saru. "Seriously, you know how reckless that was, right?"

Saru only scoffed and walked through the doorway. Riku let out a sigh before he followed behind and closed the door. And now that both of them were back in the house, they found Zexion in his usual spot. He was reading a book, but he placed it down once he saw the two of them come into the room.

"So how did your dates go?" Zexion asked, slowly smirking.

"It was not a date! Seriously don't call it that," Riku huffed.

Zexion merely shrugged. "Only saying what Zack said to me."

"Where is Zack anyways?" Riku asked.

"He was rather excited about you two and your… 'dates'... so he decided to go out tonight on a date with Cloud," Zexion replied.

"At least they're not being frisky at home," Saru murmured before making chirping noises at the tiny bundle of fluff in his arms.

"And just what do you have there?" Zexion asked, getting up from his seat. He came over close enough to Saru to see the little otter. "Another pet? Where did you find this one?"

"Dug up from its mother's den about to be dinner for a coyote," Saru answered before fishing out his phone from his pocket.

"Ah I see," Zexion replied softly. "Poor little creature. I assume the coyote got to the parents first, but how do you intend to care for it? You've never taken in a creature like this before."

"I'll figure it out." Saru replied while texting out a message with one hand.

"Have fun with that," Riku commented as he looked to the little baby otter. "It is cute though."

Saru began heading towards the bathroom to dry off when his phone pinged. He paused to check the message before continuing through the house. "One of you come get me if the delivery guy shows up. I'm gonna dry the fluffball off."

Zexion and Riku glanced at each other before shrugging. After a moment Zexion was the one to speak next. "It's a mystery where he actually gets this stuff. I know there are sellers out there, but one for nearly every kind of animal?"

"Why don't you just ask him then?" Riku asked.

"I have, and he wouldn't tell me. But all I know is that he said he was at the top of the list for any deliveries from his seller."

Zexion paused before he let out a sigh. "So what exactly happened?"

Riku headed over to the couch and sat down. He sat down and let out a long sjgh. "We were heading back after dinner, crossing though the park when Saru jumped off the bridge and ran down the river."

"Why am not surprised," Zexion muttered as he continued to listen.

"Yeah," Riku nodded. "We chased after him and that's when we found him fighting that coyote while protecting the otter."

"As reckless as he can be, we at least know he has a good heart to protect others."

Riku nodded again. "I guess that's true… just wish that he'd show that good heart more often if that is the case."

"I know," Zexion whispered.

The sound of the door opening drew the two of then to look. Zack and Cloud walked in, their arms around one another. Once they were inside, Zack smiled largely when he saw Riku.

"Ah you're back!" Zack let go of Cloud and started to walk over to Riku. "So how'd it-"

Before Zack could finish, he slipped backwards and fell to the floor. He groaned once his back collided with the floor. As he regained himself he looked to see that there was a puddle of water around him.

"Why is there water all over the floor here?!"

"Uh… that would he Saru," Riku commented, now realizing just how soaking wet Saru must have been.

"Saru!" Zack yelled before he stood up. "Where are you?!"

"In the bathroom!" Saru's voice responded from down the hall.

"Well get out of here as soon as you can and clean up this water!" Zack shouted. He then looked to Riku. "How did he get water all over the place?"

"He jumped into a river to save a baby otter," Riku replied. "And fought off a coyote in the process."

"He did what now?! And you didn't stop him?"

"I didn't get a chance. He ran off before I could even figure out what he was doing. But… he did save the otter."

Zack let out a sigh before crossing his arms. "And I'm guessing he has the otter with him right now?"

"Yup."

Zack sighed once more. "Figures."

The bathroom door clicked open and Saru walked out, now dressed in a new dry set of clothes. There was a towel on his head, drying up the rest of the water that was in his hair. In his arms was the little otter bundled up in a fuzzy towel.

When he got up to Zack he spoke. "I guess if you can't tell… I'm currently preoccupied."

"I see that now…" Zack replied. "And I suppose you're going to keep it?"

"What else am I going to do with this little one?" Saru asked.

Zack stepped a bit closer and looked down at the little otter. Its eyes were still closed, but a moment later it opened its mouth and let out a short squeak.

All of Zack's seriousness lighten up and a smile came across his face. "Aw… well that is pretty cute. But seriously, how are you going to manage this? Like for a habitat for it and everything?"

"Get a large enough body of water for it to swim in."

"And where is that going to go? I'm not letting you use the tub," Zack said.

"The tub wouldn't be large enough," Saru deadpanned.

Zack ran a hand through his hair. "Okay okay. I hope I can trust you to figure it out… reasonably. I'm going to go lie down and probably sleep soon. Make sure to clean up the water."

Saruhiko nodded before he walked towards the kitchen, making small chirping sounds at the otter.

Zack then turned to Cloud. "You want to stay the night again?"

Cloud, who had been standing quietly by the door the entire time, moved more into the room. "Yeah."

Saruhiko clicked his tongue. "Just don't rock the bed so much that youl break it."

"And you shut your mouth!" Zack snapped. "Make one more comment like that and you won't get to keep the otter."

Faint sighs were heard from Riku and Zexion, but neither of them made any verbal comment

Another click of the tongue was heard then from Saru. "Whatever."

"Well if that's all good then, I'm going off to bed," Zack said before yawning.

After waving goodnight to all three of them he walked down the hall, with Cloud following right besides him.

There was a few minutes of silence passed between the boys. None of them said anything, and only kept short starred between each other. But finally it was broken.

"So when did you learn German?"

Zexion looked to Saru with a questioning gaze while Riku shifted slightly, looking a little uncomfortable.

"What's this about now?" Zexion asked when Riku didn't respond.

"Found out Riku speaks German fluently while on our dinner date."

"And why does it matter so much? I don't see it as a big deal," Riku muttered.

"It comes as a surprise to me," Zexion interjected. "I never knew that either."

"I still don't see why it matters. It's that I knew German before hand, so I don't think it's a big deal," Riku said before sighing heavily.

"Then why keep it a secret from us?"

"Because!" Riku snapped before toning down his angered expression. "I don't like having to think about it… about her."

"You mean, your friend you talked about before?" Zexion asked carefully, making sure not to mention the name if it was the case.

"No…" Riku huffed heavily. "I… I meant my mother…"

Both Zexion and Saru stared at Riku, each of them having their own look of curiosity. They knew that none of them ever had spoken about their mothers. Not until recently when last time Saruhiko mentioned his. But the subject had gone back to being quiet and rarely thought about or mentioned.

"My mother is half German, okay? That's why I know it fluently," Riku said after having a long pause.

Neither of the other two brothers spoke. Though it seemed like something would have been said, they kept quiet. They could see there was a lonely and hurt look in Riku's eyes within the silence that was forming. Slowly Riku pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. The sadness filled him more as he gently rested his chin on top of his knees.

Zexion cleared his throat. "Ah… um Riku, are you going to be all right? Or would you prefer some time alone?"

Riku shook his head. "I don't know… I thought I could try to get through this without thinking of her… but it's hitting me harder than I wanted it to."

"She's still alive, isn't she?" Saru asked.

Riku huffed out a quick breath before lowering his head. "Yeah… but that's not… not why…"

"Then what is it?" Zexion asked.

Riku's body tensed up. A shaky breath could be heard from him, but he still kept his face down. But a moment later his head shot up, tears were now filling his eyes. His expression far more hurt and lonely than minutes before.

"Because she never loved me! That's why I don't want to think about her!"

Upon hearing this, Saru froze up, his eyes widening into a mix of shock and surprise, all while staring at Riku. Zexion also had a similar look of shock, showing that he also did not expect such an answer from his brother.

Riku shuddered as he finally let the tears fall down his face. His face scrunched up into a bitter expression. "Now you guys know… you happy?"

"So neither parent cared…" Saruhiko whispered out.

Riku shook his head. "No… and I had to be stuck being raised by one of them. If… If her neglect could even be called that."

"She at least seemed to have some care to raise you," Zexion said. "She very well could have left you just the same as our father did for all of us."

"If you call her leaving me all by myself at home most days or dropping me at a relatives house as 'caring'." Riku glared over to Zexion as he spoke. "Let me ask you, both of you. Did either one of your mothers ever say that she loved you?"

"Riku, I don't understand why that-" Zexion started to say, but Riku cut him off.

"Just answer the question!" Riku shouted. He tried to sound angry, but the breaking tone in his voice was enough to show how distressed he really was.

"Yes, of course," Zexion replied quietly, his eyes shifting to the floor.

"Yeah… not only did she tell me she loved me all the time, but she gave her life to protect me." Saru murmured, now looking down at the little bundle of otter fluff in his arms.

"Well my mother never did anything for me! She never said she loved me, or gave me a hug, or even a kiss goodnight. Can you imagine being young and scared of a storm and running to her wanting comfort, and she just doesn't give any concern to how you feel and brushes it off? I lived with that for thirteen years of my life!"

Riku breathed out slowly before trying to wipe away his tears. "I don't think she hated me… she wasn't cruel towards me, but… she just had no care for me."

"So she was like our biological father…"

"I guess if he were around… that's what he would have been like," Zexion commented.

"You guys always wonder why I want us to do so much together…" Riku replied letting a shaky breath leave him. "Why I want to do so much together like a family…"

"You want that family love, the connections and attention that you never received in childhood."

Riku closed his eyes and nodded, pushing out a few more tears. "Yeah… that's right…"

Zexion was the first to move over to the couch. He sat down next to Riku and placed a hand on his back. Riku finally let out the rest of the emotion he had been holding and series of sobs where what came next. Zexion moved his arm to be around Riku and started to hold him. He then looked over to Saru and gave him a look, much like the time before when something like this had happened. But this time his expression was much more serious and concerned.

"... I'm currently holding a baby river otter if that isn't obvious" Saru deadpanned while matching Zexion's glare.

"And if you are going to give more care to an otter over your brother, then what are you doing?" Zexion hissed.

"How about you not make assumptions and let me be," Saruhiko replied in a snipity tone before walking up to Riku, placing the bundle of otter in his lap before sitting down and wrapping an arm around his brother.

Riku raised his head up and looked at Saru, his eyes red from the tears. He opened his mouth to ask something, but his eyes went back down the otter in his lap. He moved his arms around it to hold it properly. It squeaked several times happily as it shifted in the blanket, moving itself closer to Riku.

"Thanks guys… I'm sorry for before…" Riku muttered. "I didn't mean to act like I did."

"It's all right Riku," Zexion said. "Neither Saru or I had any idea how sensitive the subject was to you."

"I don't like to think about it… it just ended up happening tonight. It hurt me more than I wanted it to. But thank you guys… thank you for caring."

Zexion nodded. "Of course."

"You know… since we're on the subject… should also get this off my chest. Shortly after I had turned thirteen… I ran away from home. I just couldn't take her neglect any longer. I wanted to just get away from all of it."

"It's good that you did, I think I would do the same if I was in your position," Zexion replied.

"I'm just glad Zack found me and brought me here," Riku said, his voice dropping into a whisper. "I'm also glad I have you guys for my brothers. You know… despite any arguments or fights we get into."

Riku paused as he looked between his brothers. He started to smile again, finally relaxing. "I love you guys. I know it's corny to say it, but I really do mean it. if it were for you two, and Zack as well, I don't know what I would have done."

"See? What did I tell you," Cloud whispered to Zack.

The lights were off and they were already in bed facing one another, snuggled up close, but they had not fallen asleep. The shouting from Riku was what alerted them before either could even drift off. Though the walls were thin, to normal ears not everything that the boys said would have been heard. Thankfully there was Cloud with his werewolf hearing to pick up on what was being said.

"Yeah, you were right again," Zack whispered back.

"I know you're worried about them and want to step in each time something starts up, but they aren't little kids. Though in vamperic terms they still are young, they aren't that young," Cloud replied. "They know how to handle themselves… well most of the time anyways."

"I know that too, I just want to help them more most of the time. I really hate to see them get into fights."

"But they didn't, they worked it out on their own. Over these past few months you've admitted that they seemed to be getting along better than before."

Zack nodded a little. "That's true. I don't know what could have caused it, but I am glad for whatever it is."

"Good," Cloud said before reached out his hand and placing it on Zack's face. "Can you sleep now knowing that they are going to be all right."

"Hmm yeah," Zack answered as he placed his own hand on top of Cloud's. He leaned forward slightly before giving a light kiss on the cheek. "Thanks buddy."

Cloud smiled. "Can't you do better than that?" Cloud now took the turn to lean forward and placed his kiss on Zack's lips.

"Nah, I like to tease you with it instead," Zack replied before giving one last kiss, this time on Cloud's forehead. "G'night Cloud."

"Night Zack."

And yeah it was a bit longer of a chapter. So we hope you guys enjoyed that. Who could Riku's mother be though? Hmmm a good question for sure. If you have thoughts or theories let us know though!~